True Films 3.0 - Kevin Kelly

Touch the Sound
Evelyn Glennie, from Scotland, is a virtuoso percussionist. Her musical
performances are stunning and original. She also happens to be profoundly
deaf. While we all can hear low vibrations with our body, Glennie
has learned to hear high sound vibrations (and music) with her body instead
of her ears. She literally “touches” sound, and what a touch! In constant
motion and with infinitive child-like curiosity, she plays with sounds
everywhere she goes, even though she has to lip-read to hear people talk.
This unexpectedly visual film explores the soundscape. You begin to hear
things you’ve not heard before, and then see things not seen before. The
cinematography is so in tune with the sonic explorations, that you even
begin to see the sounds as well; in fact, to hear sounds as bodily things
as Glennie does. This is an art film in the most accurate use of the term:
it is a work art about artists. Two artists: Glennie and her incredible music,
and the filmmaker, who has made the invisible visible and beautiful.
As the film progresses, Glennie emerges as original visionary and worldclass
inspirational hero. I hear the world differently now because of her
and this great documentary.
By Thomas Riedelsheimer
2004, 99 min.
Available from Amazon
Rent from Netflix
Rake. Rock. Sandal. Wind. Listening to the
musical silence of a Zen garden (above).
Evelyn drums on the back of a collaborator
(below), as they set up a studio in an
abandoned sugar factory.
174